Play structure assembly

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a play structure assembly comprising a flexible sheet having a plurality of loops attached thereto. The type and location of the loops are described, as well as their use in forming a play area having multiple shapes and sizes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/855,091, filed Oct. 27, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a play structure assembly that can beused to form play areas such as forts and tents for children.

2. Description of the Related Art

A variety of different types of play structures are known that can beerected to form a shaped play area for children. Typically suchstructures are self-supporting, meaning that they comprise a structuralmeans by which the assembly can hold its own shape. For example, U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,071,174 and 6,168,495 describes portable child amusement andeducational centers that comprise a tent having flexible walls supportedby a frame. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,982 relates to a pyramidaltent-like structure comprising a pair of continuous flexible supportmembers or rods that can be bent in a semi-circular configuration toform the play structure. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,161 describes aportable structure that can be used to form a tent which comprises acontinuous loop of a flexible coilable resilient material as a supportfor the structure. Other types are also known. However, self-supportingstructures are typically not compact or easily assembled anddisassembled, particularly by a child.

Non-self supporting play structures are also known. For example, U.S.Pat. No. 5,069,623 describes an educational play structure comprising aflexible panel having four side panels that can be mounted on a cardtable to be used to form an enclosure for children. The side panels arereleasably connected to each other. Also, a commercially availableproduct includes sections of flexible sheet of colorful fabric that, incombination with rope and clips, can be used to form a play structuresuch as a tent of fort. However, these structures require specificdevices (such as a card table or a strung rope) for forming the playstructure and cannot be used more generally for forming such structuresanywhere.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a play structure assembly that canbe easily used by a child to create variably shaped play areas in a widevariety of locations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a play structure assembly comprising aflexible sheet having two opposing surfaces and a plurality of loops. Inone embodiment of the invention, the flexible sheet is rectangular orsquare and the assembly comprises a corner loop attached to each corner,a plurality of exterior loops attached to each edge, and, a plurality ofinterior loops attached to at least one surface. In a second embodimentof the invention, the flexible sheet is circular, and the assemblycomprises a plurality of exterior loops attached to the edge and aplurality of interior loops attached to at least one surface. For bothembodiments, preferably the assembly further comprises a center loopcentrally attached to the flexible sheet. The present invention furtherrelates to a play tent formed using the disclosed play structureassembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 a-1 e show various examples of types of loops that can be usedfor the play structure assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show specific examples of the play structure assemblyof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a play structure assembly that can beused to form play areas for a child having multiple and changeableshapes.

The play structure of the present invention comprises a flexible sheethaving loops attached to specifically chosen locations, described inmore detail below. The flexible sheet may have any desired shape,including, for example, circular, oval, or polyhedral, such asrectangular, square, or hexagonal. Preferably, the sheet is square orrectangular. The sheet may be prepared using any material known in theart, but is preferably a soft fabric that is both durable and easy toclean, such as fleece, nylon, polyester, or cotton. The sheet may alsobe a microfibrous material, such as polynylon, or a polyester-nylonblend. The size of the sheet can be varied depending on the intendeduse. For example, when the flexible sheet is square or rectangular, thearea of the sheet may be between about 15 square feet and about 150square feet, preferably between about 35 square feet and about 100square feet. Furthermore, the sheet may have at least one side having alength of between about 4 feet and about 12 feet, preferably betweenabout 6 feet and about 10 feet. Also as an example, the flexible sheetcan be circular, having a diameter of between about 4 feet and about 10feet.

The flexible sheet has two opposing surfaces, and each surface may bethe same or different. Also, the sheet may be one layer of material ormultiple layers of the same or different materials. For example, theflexible sheet may be a single layer of a colored material with eachsurface being the same. Also, this single layer of material may have animage or design imprinted or stitched into one surface, such as an imageof the outside of fort or house. Thus, the flexible sheet may comprise asingle layer of material having the same or different opposing surfaces.Also, two layers of materials may be used, resulting in a flexible sheethaving different opposing surfaces (if the two materials differ) or sameopposing surfaces (if the two materials are the same).

The sheet may further comprise pockets or pouches attached to at leastone of the surfaces, and these may be either permanent or detachable.Also, portions of the sheet may comprise various slits, flaps, orcut-out sections, in order, for example, to form a door or windowsection.

The play structure assembly of the present invention further comprises aplurality of loops, straps, or flexible handles attached to variouslocations on the flexible sheet. As used herein, the term “loop” or“strap” or “handle” refers to a narrow segment of material forming aclosed shape that is capable of being wrapped around or over an object,such as the back of a chair or door knob. The loop may be any size andis preferably between about 1 inch and about 6 inches in diameter, morepreferably between about 1 inch and about 4 inches in diameter. Also,the loop may be any width, such as between about 0.5 inches to about 2inches, including between about 1 inch and about 1.5 inches.

Examples of types of loops are shown in FIG. 1 a-1 e. Thus, for example,the loop may comprise one loop segment, such as a narrow strip ofmaterial, having two ends, wherein both ends are fixedly attached to theflexible sheet, examples of which are shown in FIG. 1 a and FIG. 1 b.Each end may be attached to the same location on the flexible sheet (asin FIG. 1 a) or may be attached in close proximity to each other (as inFIG. 1 b). Such loops would be considered to be fixed dimension loops,meaning that, once formed, the diameter of the loop cannot be changed.For such loops, any rigid or non-elastic material known in the art maybe used, including, for example, various synthetic or natural fabrics(such as nylon), ropes, or cords.

The loops attached to the flexible sheet may also have a diameter thatcan be changed or adjusted, examples of which are shown in FIG. 1 c,FIG. 1 d, and FIG. 1 e. Such variable dimension loops provide greaterflexibility in the use of the play structure assembly of the presentinvention, enabling it to be used to form a play area for a child havingmultiple and changeable shapes and designs in a wide variety oflocations, and are therefore preferred. For example, the variabledimension loop may comprise one loop segment, such as a narrow strip ofmaterial, having two ends, wherein one end is fixedly attached to theflexible sheet and the other end is configured to attach or connect toeither an attachment site on the flexible sheet near the fixed end (asin FIG. 1 c) or along the length of the loop segment (as in FIG. 1 d).The arrow in these figures shows how the loop is formed by attaching theconfigured end to the attachment site. Such a loop can be made of anymaterial comprising an adhesive or adherable section, such as Velcro. Inaddition, the loop may comprise two loop segments, such as two narrowstrips of material, each having two ends, wherein one end of each loopsegment is fixedly attached to the same or proximal locations on theflexible sheet and wherein the other ends of each loop segment areconfigured to connect together, thereby forming the loop (as shown inFIG. 1 e). The loop may be formed, for example, by tying the unattachedends together or by adhering the unattached end of one loop segment tothe unattached end of the other loop segment using an adhesive oradherable section, such as Velcro. Also, the variable dimension loop maybe elastic, thereby being able to stretch over an object or around anobject. Other combinations are possible, including, for example, elasticloop segments fixedly attached on one end to the flexible sheet and theother end configured to adhere or tie together. In these ways, thedimension of the loop can be changed, and the play structure assemblymay be more securely attached to an object to form a variety ofdifferent types of play areas.

The loops are attached to the flexible sheet both along the exterioredges as well as at various locations on at least one surface of thesheet. The number and location of the loops will depend on the size andshape of the flexible sheet. For example, if the flexible sheet ispolyhedral, such as a rectangle or square, the play structure assemblycomprises a corner loop attached to each corner, a plurality of exteriorloops attached to each edge, and a plurality of interior loops attachedto at least one surface. For non-polyhedral shapes, such as oval orcircular sheets, no corner loops are present and, therefore this type ofplay structure assembly comprises a plurality of exterior loops attachedto the edge and a plurality of interior loops attached to at least onesurface.

The exterior loops may be located anywhere along the edge or edges ofthe flexible sheet. Preferably, these loops are equally spaced along theedges. For example, for a rectangular or square flexible sheet, the playstructure assembly may comprise at least two exterior loops along eachedge, and these can be attached at locations of ⅓ and ⅔ of the length ofthe edge. In a similar way, the play structure assembly may comprise atleast three exterior loops on each edge, and these can be attached atequidistant points along the edge. The more exterior loops, the greaterthe flexibility in using the play structure assembly of the presentinvention for forming a child's play area. However, too many loops maybecome excessive. Preferably, there are 2-6 exterior loops along theedge of flexible sheet.

The interior loops may be located anywhere on either opposing surfacesof the flexible sheet. Preferably, the loops are all on one of thesurfaces. Also, in order to more easily form play areas having definedshapes, it is preferred that the interior loops are geometrically spacedin a configuration having an edge or edges parallel to the edge or edgesof the flexible sheet. This configuration should be centrally located onthe surface of the flexible sheet. For example, if the flexible sheet issquare or rectangular, it is preferred that the interior loops arearranged such that they also form a square or rectangle with edgesparallel to the external edges of the sheet. A sufficient number ofinterior loops are used in order to form this configure. Additionalinternal loops may also be used, which provides greater the flexibilityin forming multiple types of play areas. Preferably, there are 4-8interior loops.

The play structure of the present invention preferably further comprisesa center loop located in the geometric center of the flexible sheet.This is also centrally located with the configuration of interior loops.This center loop provides additional flexibility in designing andcreating play areas.

Each of these loops may be a fixed or variable dimension loop, butpreferably all of the loops are some type of variable dimension loop.For example, the corner loops, if present, and the exterior loopsattached to the edge or edges of the flexible sheet can be eitherelastic or comprise two loop segments that can either be tied togetheror adhered together, to form the exterior or corner loop. The interiorloops attached to at least one of the surfaces and the center loop, ifpresent, are preferably non-elastic variable dimension loops.

Specific embodiments of the present invention are shown in FIG. 2 andFIG. 3, which show specific examples of the play structure assembly ofthe present invention. These figures are meant to further clarify thepresent invention and are intended to be only exemplary in nature.

In FIG. 2, the play structure assembly comprises a square flexible sheet10 having one surface 11, four edges, 12, and four corners, 13. Theopposing surface is behind the schematic and is therefore not shown.Either surface may comprise a printed image or color, although, forsimplicity, none is shown. To each corner is attached a corner loop, 14.Also, two exterior loops, 15, are shown attached to each edge, and theseare equally spaced along each edge. Additional loops may also be used.This play structure assembly further comprises four interior loops, 16,attached to the surface, 11. The interior loops are positioned along thediagonals of the square flexible sheet, forming a square configuration,17, and the edges of this configuration are each parallel to the edges,12, of the flexible sheet. Additional loops may be attached along theedges of the interior square configuration. Finally, in the geometriccenter of the flexible sheet is attached a center loop, 18.

In FIG. 3, the play structure assembly comprises a square flexible sheet20 having one surface 21, four edges, 22, and four corners, 23. Theopposing surface is behind the schematic and is therefore not shown.Either surface may comprise a printed image or color, although, forsimplicity, none is shown. To each corner is attached a corner loop, 24.Also, a plurality of exterior loops, 25, are shown attached to eachedge, four on one pair of opposite edges, which are equally spaced, andsix on the other. This play structure assembly further comprises nineinterior loops, 26, attached to the surface, 21. The interior loops arepositioned to form a square configuration, 27, and the edges of thisconfiguration are each parallel to the edges, 22, of the flexible sheet.Also, in the geometric center of the flexible sheet is attached a centerloop, 28. In addition, the play structure includes a window section, 29,and a door section, 30. The window further comprises a flap, 29 a, thatcan fold over the opening that forms the window, from either opposingsurface of the flexible sheet, allowing it to be closed or hidden. Thedoor comprises two sections which can overlap slightly in order to beable to attach one section to the other, allowing the door to be closed.Also, pockets, 31, are shown in each corner of the flexible sheet, whichcan be used, for example, to hold weights to the further stabilize aplay structure prepared from this assembly or to hold objects andaccessories. Finally, various hidden pockets, particularly between thetwo opposing surfaces with a sealable opening from either surface, canbe included for storing additional play items and accessories.

The play structure assembly of the present invention is non-selfsupporting, meaning it does not comprise a structural means by which itcan hold a defined shape. Rather, this assembly is compact and portable,and can be rolled up for easy storage. Since this assembly is able tolie flat, it can be used as both a play mat and as a decorative wallhanging. Furthermore, the play structure assembly can be used to form aplay area having a defined shape, such as a play tent, fort, or house.The loops of the play structure assembly may be hooked onto a widevariety of household items, including furniture, such as the backs ofchairs, handrails, and door knobs. Any or all of the loops may be used,producing a wide variety of play areas shapes and sizes. The interiorloops, in particular, provide the play structure assembly with multiplemeans to design and create a wide variety of different types of playareas quickly and easily. For example, by utilizing the interior loops,a play area can be formed having a roof and multiple sides, similar tofort or play house. This play area can then be readily taken down andreused to form another different play area, even in a differentlocation. Also, multiple play structure assemblies can be used incombination to prepare a play structure. In particular, if the loops,such as the edge loops, are variable dimension loops that can be openedand closed by tying, loops from different play structure assemblies maybe tied together to form a larger play area. The design of the playstructure assembly of the present invention provides an extremelyflexible means to prepare play areas for children.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the presentinvention has been presented for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variationsare possible in light of the above teachings, or may be acquired frompractice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described inorder to explain the principles of the invention and its practicalapplication to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention invarious embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and theirequivalents.

1. A play structure assembly comprising a) a flexible sheet having twoopposing surfaces and a plurality of edges and corners, b) a corner loopattached to each corner, c) a plurality of exterior loops attached toeach edge, and d) a plurality of interior loops attached to at least onesurface.
 2. The play structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexiblesheet is rectangular or square.
 3. The play structure assembly of claim1, wherein the two opposing surfaces are the same.
 4. The play structureassembly of claim 1, wherein the two opposing surfaces are different. 5.The play structure assembly of claim 1 comprising at least two exteriorloops on each edge.
 6. The play structure assembly of claim 1, whereinthe exterior loops are equally spaced on the edge.
 7. The play structureassembly of claim 1 comprising at least four interior loops attached toone surface.
 8. The play structure assembly of claim 1, wherein theinterior loops are geometrically spaced in a configuration having edgesparallel to the edges of the flexible sheet.
 9. The play structureassembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one center loopcentrally attached to at least one surface.
 10. The play structureassembly of claim 9, wherein the corner loops, the interior loops, orthe exterior loops are variable dimension loops.
 11. The play structureof claim 10, wherein the interior loops and the center loop comprise twoloop segments, each segment having one end fixedly attached to theflexible sheet and one end configured to connect to the other loopsegment to form the interior loop or center loop.
 12. The play structureassembly of claim 11, wherein the loop segments are configured to tietogether.
 13. The play structure assembly of claim 11, where the loopsegments are configured to adhere to each other.
 14. The play structureof claim 10, wherein the interior loops and the center loop comprise oneloop segment having one end fixedly attached to the flexible sheet andone end configured to connect to the other loop segment or to anattachment site on the flexible sheet to form the interior loop orcenter loop.
 15. The play structure assembly of claim 1, wherein theexterior loops and the corner loops are variable dimension loopscomprising two loop segments, each segment having one end fixedlyattached to the flexible sheet and one end configured to connect to theother loop segment to form the exterior loop or corner loop.
 16. Theplay structure assembly of claim 1, wherein the exterior loops and thecorner loops are elastic.
 17. The play structure assembly of claim 1,further comprising at least one et attached to at least one surface. 18.A play structure assembly comprising a) a circular flexible sheet havingtwo opposing surfaces and an edge, b) a plurality of exterior loopsattached to the edge, and c) a plurality of interior loops attached toat least one surface.
 19. A play area comprising at least one playstructure assembly of claim 1.